My journey with a T11 to L4 spinal fusion - 40 degree scoliosis curve

1-23-25 update for T11 to L4 spinal fusion - #2

OK, so just a quick list of things that are helping me during healing:

Actually first…… there are a couple things you can do before surgery. The more squats that you can do the better! This really, really helped me out. It doesn’t matter if you’re only a week away from surgery, hang onto the kitchen counter or anything else and throughout the day, just drop down and do a few squats. Those are really going to help you as you recover, because you need that strength in your legs and your butt to stand when getting out of bed and off the toilet and up from a chair. I can’t emphasize this enough. The other thing would be anything that can build your core. Sit ups, planks, I hate doing these, but I made myself do them before the surgery and I know it helped me.

OK now for recovery items……

Long handled grabbers - these are amazing and Costco has the two packs, or you can find them on Amazon, etc. I have three of them in different places around the house. It’s crazy how many things you will drop and you have to keep your back straight so there is a kneeling squat position that you can do or you can use your grabbers.

Heating pad - you must have one of these! I have a large flexible one that covers my whole surgery area on my spine and also my lower back.

Large gel ice packs - you must also have these! I have two that I sit back on my couch recliner and alternate between those and the heating pad. Make sure they are the gels, they are very soft and form your back and it doesn’t hurt to lay back on them. Also make sure they are big enough to cover across your back. Mine are about 14”x 8”. Every muscle and nerve across your back is affected and will need the cold. I also cover them with a thin blanket because when you first come home from surgery, you will not have much feeling in your back at the skin level and it would be easy to burn your skin with either the heating pad or ice packs because you will not feel it.

A bed rail - this also is a must! It really helps after you do your log roll to push off of the rail to sit straight up. I think mine is about 9 inches wide and I have it up near my shoulder level and it slides into the mattress. My bed is pretty tall so I also have a small step stool that I get onto because you want to be able to sit straight back onto the bed. Scooting and wiggling and everything else hurts.

Long handle shoehorn - this is pretty handy until you get to the point where you can reach down and pull on your shoes. You’re not going to be able to get your own socks on right away either so I definitely have a lot of slip on slippers around here.

Peppermint candy - a friend brought me some candy canes several days after I got home and I wish I would’ve had them from the start. They really helped my stomach when it was upset from all the meds and not eating much. And make sure they are the quality ones with real peppermint oil and not just artificial flavor. Peppermint tea also helped me.

They will tell you no BLT. Bending, lifting or twisting, and this is very important until everything fuses, which I understand is around three months. I have a back brace that I wear when I’m standing. Everything I’ve read says it’s more about reminding you to keep from twisting and bending, along with providing some support.

Stretch yoga type pants - I am a jeans kind of girl but my new best friend is stretch pants! My scar goes almost down to the waist line of pants and is extremely uncomfortable. So stretch pants are amazing.

Sitting - you need to keep your back as straight as possible. You don’t want a deep chair to sit in. My electric couch recliner is perfect and is where I spend most of my sitting time. It is not easy getting up to the sitting position in order to stand, so it will be important to have something comfortable for you to sit in.

Back scratcher - a nice to have

Water, water, water- I am terrible at drinking water, but you need to have a way to make sure that you are drinking a lot of water.

Toilet - when I was researching before my surgery, I did not find much information about the challenges of wiping after a bowel movement. You definitely cannot twist enough to reach your hand around from the back. I bought a tool on Amazon where you can wrap toilet paper around the end and wipe yourself and then you can release the toilet paper or wet wipe into the toilet. I tried it a couple times at the hospital and it was pretty much useless for me. I found that if you squat up off the toilet, you can reach everywhere you need to without hurting your back. That being said, I also put toilet rails around the side of the toilet, and to me they are a must have for wiping and getting up and down off the toilet. It’s actually a one piece item that attaches behind the toilet seat.

Constipation - oh my goodness this is a real thing with pain, meds, and muscle relaxers together. The only laxatives I’ve really found to work are Dulcolax 1200 mg magnesium hydroxide chews. I’ve also had to use the Dulcolax suppositories. There are so many things out there like Colace and Senokot, etc. They all work differently, but these are the only ones that work for me. I believe you should also have a box of enemas on hand in case you need them.

Supplements - 7 days prior to surgery you need to stop taking any NSAIDs, vitamins, vitamin C, most everything. They will give you a list. That being said as soon as you have surgery, even though NSAIDs are still off limits because they inhibit bone fusion, I started taking calcium. I have a pretty good calcium supplement coming next week that I am excited to use. Also, take those multivitamins unless you are eating well rounded meals.

I’m sorry this was so long! I’ve been making notes on sticky pads over the past few weeks and I’m really glad to get this out. When I read back through this message, some of it sounds pretty tough. There have definitely been tough times for me, but I can say with 100% certainty that I would not do a single thing differently. We know back surgery is usually the last resort and that everyone makes their own decision, in their own time, based on their own situation.

I wish the best for all of you and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me!

Sherry

Hi Sherry -
I just saw your kind reaction to my recent comment regarding my cervical fusion experience. I see you recently underwent an extensive fusion and wanted to send you healing thoughts and prayers. Hope all is going well for you 🙏

Hi, I'm about ready to schedule cervical infusion due to pain. I have tried every injection, burning of the nerves but nothing else has worked.
I'm 56 with 14 grandkids and I need/want to be able to do more with everyone. However I'm scared to death of having it done because my neurosurgeon is wanting to do it anterior approach due to faster recovery.
The problem is I have Achalasia which effects my esophagus from my swallowing down to my stomach and I believe it will cause significant issues with these related problems.
Just checking on any advice

Sherry and others,
Yes, age and gravity. I think we all have heard that. I still do back exercises prescribed years ago to hopefully strengthen the back muscles to prevent more curvature. Yet, curvature still progresses, but my orthopedic doctor likes to tell me that but for the exercises, I would have had a total back fusion by now.
Peter

Sherry,
I admire you for attempting to continue the Blog about our health. First, you have many of us praying for you to get over the hurdle, and take each day as it presents itself; Second, the pain must be intense, and I hope your support people are with you. Where in the Sacramento area are you? I am a former Modesto born-and raised girl, who moved to Goodyear, AZ over 8 years ago. It is true, you need to seek health care for a high-need procedure as you went through, outside the Valley. I was a patient at UCSF 2012-2016.

Hey, I’m so sorry. I did not answer a couple of your questions. This was a few days after my surgery and things are kind of a blur.
First of all, thank you so much for your prayers. That is what helped me get through my immediate post surgery and what is helping me now 😊🙏.
Since you are a Modesto born girl, then you will definitely know where Amador county is. I am born and raised in this area. I also used to live in Waterford and Modesto was “my town” 😊.

@sherrym25 Sherry, what a wonder well thought out post! Thank you for sharing the details of living after major spine surgery. Your descriptions are very helpful. I went through some of this for my cervical surgery.

I know you are very early in your healing now, but I wanted to give you a heads up that surgical scars tend to tighten up a lot as they heal and can generate pain. When that happens, don't let it get you down, because there is help when you are ready for it. You kind of have to endure that until the incisions are fully healed, and you are fused and cleared for physical therapy. A therapist can stretch out surgical scars to help relieve the pain they can cause. You may want to look at our discussion on Myofascial Release for some information. Doing MFR work has helped me a lot not only with my cervical spine incision, but also scars from surgeries from an ankle fracture.

Keep up the good work healing! Here is our discussion.

Neuropathy -"Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain"
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

Good Morning Sherry,
You are a Gem, explaining to the forum about your journey through surgery and beyond.
As I mentioned before, your positive mind is a big part of healing, and communicating to us with scoliosis or who are facing spinal surgery. I like how you outlined the do's and don'ts during this rehab. I am not sure if further surgery will be required for me, as the scoliosis has upgraded to a 24%, an increase of 6% in six months. I will have the SCS removed next month, and undergo further MRI's to see the severity. For those readers who are not familiar with SCS, yes MRI's are permissible, but the process is too labored, and the tube or the tunnel is too small. Please continue to update your progress. We all look forward to your blogs.